DEADLINE FOR NEXT STUDENT EXCHANGE is NOV. 30!

The next student exchange trip to Thonon les Bains is during spring break, April 5-15, 2019.

Students will stay with host students and learn about our sister city, its history, culture and everyday life. They’ll visit Thonon area attractions and also attend classes with their French host. Students selected for the trip must be able to host their French counterpart when the French students come to Mercer Island in October, 2019.

Any high school student in grates 9-11 may apply. Sorry, no seniors, as students must welcome their French hosts on MI in October, 2019.

Host families cover the cost of students meals while students are in their homes; students’ families are responsible for their airfare, the $750 program fee, and spending money for incidentals.

Participants’ families must become two-year members of MISCA. Participants’ families commit to assist with MISCA events when French students visit Mercer Island.

Exchange 2018 a big success

Twenty students and four chaperones from Thonon les Bains arrived on Monday, Feb. 12, 2018 to reunite with their exchange student friends, for the second half of the student exchange that began last year. It was a busy, fun-filled eight days. Highights included a Valentine’s Party at the VFW Hall, a day and a half at Mercer Island High School, visits to Woodland Park Zoo, Pacific Science Center, University Village, the Space Needle, Chihuly Museum, “Ride the Duck,” Seattle Aquarium, “Wings Over Washington,” Bainbridge Island, – and much more.. The family-to-family exchanges have been a very successful part of the “jumelage” between Mercer Island and Thonon les Bains since the Sister City relationship was established in 2000.

The following is a comment by Chris Mochel, mother of Casey Mochel, who was one of our first exchange students years ago.

This year Chris hosted one of the chaperones, who had been the host mother to Casey when she was in Thonon. Over the years the two mothers have stayed in touch, visited each other, and have become close friends. The exchange experience is enriching to parents as well as students!

Here’s what Chris said: “It was wonderful to watch the French students become friends with each other as they bonded with their Mercer Island families and explored our beautiful island and the Pacific Northwest. We know that peer social interaction is one of the most important areas of growth and development for teens and we saw that blossoming among all the youths… French and Mercer Islanders. Our visitors certainly return to France with a feeling of a welcoming home and embracing community on Mercer Island, too. Their lives have been changed in wonderful ways through your generous efforts in this valuable cultural exchange with our sister city.”